Ugandan Constitutional Conference facts for kids

The Ugandan Constitutional Conference was an important meeting held in London in 1961. It was organized by the British Government. The main goal was to help Uganda become an independent country. This means Uganda would govern itself, without British rule.

How Uganda Became Independent

The conference started on September 18, 1961, and finished on October 9. Its purpose was to talk about a report. This report was from the Uganda Relationships Commission. This group had studied the best way for Uganda to be governed. They also looked at how the main government would work with other local authorities.

Many important people attended this meeting. These included British government ministers, like Iain Macleod. Leaders from the colonial government in Uganda were also there. Sir Frederick Crawford, who was the Governor of Uganda, led them.

Representatives from different groups in Uganda also came. These included people from the Kingdom of Buganda. There were also leaders from the Democratic Party. The Uganda People's Congress (UPC) also sent representatives. Milton Obote and the honourable A.G. Mehta were key leaders for the UPC.

Big Discussions at the Conference

A main topic at the conference was the role of Uganda's historic kingdoms. These kingdoms, especially the Kingdom of Buganda, wanted to keep their special status. They needed to agree to be part of the new country of Uganda.

Another important issue was about some "lost counties." The Kingdom of Bunyoro wanted to discuss these areas. They had been taken from Bunyoro and given to Buganda. Bunyoro's delegates said they would only join the conference if this was discussed.

During the conference, Mr. Macleod suggested a new plan. He said a vote about the lost counties might not happen. This was because Buganda did not support it. Instead, he suggested a new group of advisors be formed. Because of this, Bunyoro's representatives left the meeting.

What Came Out of the Conference

The ideas and agreements from this conference were very important. They led to the Buganda Agreement of 1961. This new agreement replaced an older one from 1955. The conference also helped create the first Ugandan Constitution. This document set out the rules for how the new independent Uganda would be governed.

See also

• Uganda Independence Conference, held at Marlborough House in June 1962